Fence.



PATENTED MAY 17, 1904.

S. N. SUPER.

FENCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

nients, so as to be no longer effective.

UNITED STATES Patented May 1'7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 760,407, dated May1'7, 1904.

Application filed August 24:, 1903.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Snrrn' N. Sornn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to improvements in rail fences, and the construction is particularly designed to be adapted for the rebuilding of old rail fences which have been partially rotted.

'At the present time there are in existence in various sections of the country a large number of old rail fences which have been partially destroyed by the action of the ele- To rebuild these fences in the ordinary way it would require the addition of a large number of rails, which it is the object of my invention to avoid.

It is a further object to obtain a construction of a fence that is much stronger and more suitable than the original construction.

The invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a corner-section of the fence. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the fence-panels. Fig. 3 is plan of the corner, and Fig. 4: is a cross-section through the fence.

I shall describe my improved structure or fence by stating the manner in which an old fence may be rebuilt.

Two rails A and B are first selected for the transverse braces. These are arranged at opposite inclinations and so as to cross each other a short distance from the top. A thind rail 0 is then placed between the braces A and B below the cross and is temporarily supported by any suitable means. (Not shown.) The builder next forms a tie of wire which is twisted around the braces and below the rail C, so as to form a crossed loop substantially of the form of the figure 8, the ends of the to the crossed ends of the braces A and B Serial No. 170,609. (No model.)

and arranged at an incline adjacent to the plane of the rail U. The members A,-B, and D together form braces for the end or corner of a section of fence, which is further constructed as follows: A second pair of braces A and B are set up and secured in position in a similar manner to the arrangement of the braces A and B, and at the opposite end of the rail G a top rail F is then placed, supported in the crosses of the two pairs of braces, after which a wire loop G is twisted around the upper ends of the crossed braces and the rail.

The parts thus far described are all rigidly secured together and form the support for the other rails which form the panel of the fence. These panel-rails are so secured as to be entirely independent of the braces and the upper rail F except as they are connected thereto through the medium of the rail O. Thus any settling or sagging of the supporting-frame will not effect the vertical position of the panel.

To secure the lower rails of the panel to the rail 0, a vertical bar H is arranged adjacent to but entirely independent of the braces A and B. This bar is secured thereto by a wire loop I, which at its upper end. passes over the rail C and at its lower end supports the lowermost of the rails J of the panel. Intermediate the rails C and J are arranged rails with the ends of the adjacent panels overlapping, as shown. The loop I may be tied to the bar H to one or more intermediate points by connections K. I/Vhen thus constructed, each panel of the fence is lirinly spliced to the adjacent panel by the bars H, loops I, and con necting-ties K, and said panels are separated from the upper rail F. To hold them in proper vertical position, the lower ends of the bar H may, if desired, extend to rest upon the ground, or stakes may be driven to anchor said bar in proper position. v

The adjacent angling panel of the corner is formed by arranging the lower bars J with their ends crossed and alternating with the rails of the other panel, as shown in Fig. 1. The brace D of this anchoring-panel is arranged in similar relation thereto to the brace D and has its upper end arranged adjacent to the ends of the braces A and B, as shown. The tie G for the corner not only surrounds the bracesA and B, but also the braces D and D. Thus the fence is firmly braced in all directions from lateral displacement.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the arrangement of a fence where the brace B has settled. This distorts the form of the supportingframe; but, as shown in this figure, the main panel of the fence, together with the bars H, is maintained in vertical position.

The fence above described when completed is strong and stable, while its structure is such that the labor of building it is comparatively light.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A fence comprising a pair of transverse braces crossed at their upper ends, a top rail supported in the cross, a tiesurrounding said top rail and cross-braces to hold the same in fixed relation, a crossed loop secured to said braces below the cross thereof, a rail loosely supported on said loop, a vertical bar adjacent to said rail, and independent from said braces and top rail, a loop securing said bar to the loosely-supported rail, and extending downward near the lower end of said bar and rails over adjacent fence-panels supported in said loop, and being entirely free from the braces of the fence.

2. Inafence, a corner construction comprising a pair of cross-braces, a top rail over one section of the fence, supported in the cross, a top rail for the adjoining angling section of the fence, supported on the first rail, rails respectively for said angling sections of the fence arranged below the cross of said braces, one supported upon the other, a cross-tie between said braces for supporting the lower of said rails, oblique braces in the respective planes of the angling sections of said fence, and engaging with the crossed upper ends of said braces, a tie surrounding the upper ends of all of said braces, and securing the same in fixed relation, a vertical bar secured to one of the rails below the cross, a series of rails forming the panel below said rail, attached to said vertical bar, and a series of rails forming the panel of the adjacent angling section of the fence, alternately resting on the rails of the first panel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

. SETH N. SOPER. Witnesses:

SELDEN SHIMER, WM. E. JAcoBs. 

